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MN12004: Fundamentals of finance

[Page last updated: 23 October 2023]

Academic Year: 2023/24
Owning Department/School: School of Management
Credits: 15 [equivalent to 30 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 300
Level: Certificate (FHEQ level 4)
Period:
Academic Year
Assessment Summary: CWRG 30%, EXCB 50%, EXIC 20%
Assessment Detail:
  • Group coursework (CWRG 30%)
  • Mid-year test (EXIC 20%)
  • Examination (EXCB 50%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Learning Outcomes: By the end of the unit, students will be able to:
* Analyse characteristics and risks of instruments and methods designed to achieve short, medium and long term personal financial goals.
* Identify, describe and use basic investment appraisal techniques.
* Estimate a firm's cost of capital
* Describe the issues involved in determining a firm's dividend policy.
* Demonstrate competence in a set of basic features of commonly-used software applications.
* Demonstrate an understanding of the uses to which the above techniques can be put in business.


Synopsis: Gain an understanding of the fundamental concepts and techniques for managing personal and corporate finance. You'll learn about:
  • personal financial products
  • the main capital markets
  • new investment appraisal
  • cost of capital
  • the effect of capital structure on the value of a firm
  • using Microsoft Excel to make calculations and present information
You will also explore the role of finance and the financial manager in the wider business context.

Content: The unit combines fundamental concepts of personal finance and corporate finance, and the use of computing software to undertake financial calculations. Students will explore the following topics and how to apply them in computing:
  • The time value of money - present value of cashflows, annuities and perpetuities
  • Various personal financial products such as mortgages and loans
  • The role of the finance function and financial manager as part of the overall business
  • The different types of capital markets - the banking system, bonds, stocks, currencies, derivatives
  • Sources of finance and the characteristics of debt and equity
  • Basic investment appraisal including NPV, IRR, payback
  • Cost of Capital (using WACC, dividend growth and CAPM for simple debt and equity).
  • Capital structure and its relation to firm value.
  • Effect of new projects with different capital structures and risk on firm value.
  • Dividend policy. Theories and practicalities.


Course availability:

MN12004 is Compulsory on the following courses:

School of Management
  • UMMN-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Accounting and Finance (Year 1)
  • UMMN-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Accounting and Finance with work placement (Year 1)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2023/24 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2024/25 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2023/24.
  • Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.